Senate Debate on Spending Bill Begins

Spending authority ends next week

The Senate's top two Republicans announced Monday that they will not support a conservative revolt in the GOP ranks that seeks to dismantle President Obama's 2010 health-care law.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and his deputy, John Cornyn (Tex.), said they will not join a band of senators attempting a week-long assault on the legislation. The announcement was a setback for Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), who plan to use whatever limited Senate procedural leverage is available to them to thwart funding for the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare.